Romance. Oh, yeah! Between women, and between a man and a woman.

Sex. Ooh, boy, and then some.

Comments. Reach me at, passionatetyger@aol.com. Tell me if you like it, or if you don't, but don't be purposefully mean, please, my young heart couldn't take it.

©1997

PROLOGUE

Newtown High School, in Elmhurst, contained different cultures, different aspirations, and different personalities... There were some whose inspirations stuck out more than others'. Melissa Christian, for example, wanted to be a professional boxer. She had the build to do it, and best of all, the training. With the help of Carmen Ramirez, better known as Cami, she made it through the hardest times. Cami was Melissa's coach, best friend, and mother; she was the one who nicknamed Melissa "Mel." Since then, everyone called her Mel, too. Cami had taken care of Mel since her parents had died when she was twelve. Mel had almost fallen into the city's system, but Cami fought to save her; and she won. Cami had been Mel's mother and father's best friend.

She had really taken to the awkward little girl that was Mel. Mel had taken to the young woman who brought her gifts and cared for her. So when Mel's parents died, it was only natural that Cami would take her as her own; even though Cami was only almost ten years older than Mel was. Cami was a gym instructor in a boxing gymnasium. After school, Mel would go there and hang out with Cami.

All the boxers had really liked the slightly built teen that already expressed a deep interest in the sport. Mel would stand there and watch the fight practices, recording with her mind all the movements they made. Sometimes, while doing her homework, Cami would find her distracted by the boxer's sometimes-passionate practices. It was a large gym, containing three rings and a good individual space for each boxer to train. It was located in Cypress Hills, in Brooklyn; in front of the cemetery. Until quite a few years before, the building had been an abandoned warehouse. A group of boxing fanatics had gotten together and decided to try to buy the property. They succeeded and built the Cypress Gymnasium.

The Cypress Gymnasium had given birth to many famous boxers; men and women. It's trainers, being the best in the business put their trainers through good training plus a good education. They chose the youngest aspiring boxers and helped them get into school, if they were not. Mel never thought about becoming a boxer herself until she fought a bully from her school.

She was in the eighth grade. Attending Elizabeth Blackwell Junior High School 210. Jacky, nicknamed Crazy J, feared by all the students of the school, was fourteen years old and in the eighth grade, having been left back for worrying only about the kids that she was going to beat up and not her studies. She was bigger in size than most of the kids and agile. It was said that her gangster Uncle Gago Luciano, the owner of Cypress Gymnasium's rival boxer's gym, was allowing her to be trained as a boxer.

Crazy J was about five feet six inches. Her black hair was cut in a Mohawk style; the sides and back were shaved. She wasn't a skinny girl, but the years of exercising kept her hard and strong. Her face was not ugly, but the snarl she kept on her lips made her seem ugly and mean.

Mel was the total opposite. Friendly and adorable, she had the friendship of many of her fellow students. At thirteen, she was five feet four inches; of medium build, but muscled. She had her own regimen of exercise and health foods, with the help of Cami. Her light brown hair was down to her shoulders, although she always stressed about how she wanted to cut it. She was a gorgeous young girl, attracting the attention of many of the boys and confused little girls of Junior High School 210. The teachers loved Mel and kept her their favorite, unlike Crazy J. She excelled in all her classes, getting nothing below grade eighty-five.

When Crazy J chose to pick on Mel, she made a big mistake. Mel was in her lunch period. She was sitting at one of the tables, her face buried in a book. Crazy J had always had a jealousy of Mel, plus the fact that Mel was the daughter of one of Cypress Gymnasium's trainers didn't make it any better.

Everyone in the large lunchroom watched in horror as Crazy J's eyes centered on Mel, and she approached the table where Mel was sitting, studying peacefully alone. Crazy sat across from her and reached across the table, grabbing the book from Mel's hands. The stunned Mel frowned with anger. "What's your problem?" She snapped, her hazel eyes flared.

Crazy narrowed her cold blue eyes. "You think you're all that?" She growled. "You gotta problem with me sitting here?" Her attempts of intimidation didn't bother Mel at all. She just looked at her as if she were stupid. This made Crazy angry. "How's that bitch that you call your mother?" She wanted to see what reaction Mel would give.

Mel, who would not waste her time with stupid people like this, said nothing. Her eye twitched from suppressed anger.

Crazy mistook this as fear. "Scared?" She taunted. "What would you say if I told you I'll beat you up after school?"

Mel cocked her head, looking at Crazy curiously. "What would you want me to say?" She asked in return. "That I'm afraid? Sorry," She shrugged, crossing her arms. "I'm not." Everyone, even the teachers, were watching, surprised at the fearlessness Mel possessed. Crazy was known for having broken quite a few noses and bones, and for causing concussions.

Crazy narrowed her blue eyes until they were almost slits. "Outside," She hissed with venom. "At three o'clock!" She smiled viciously. "Or are you chicken?"

Mel smiled. "It's on." She hissed back.

For the rest of the day, Mel was congratulated on her bravery. But sometimes reprimanded by those afraid for her life.

Three o'clock arrived quickly. Mel was really looking forward to teaching Crazy a big lesson. Crazy was waiting in the yard, by the handball courts. Mel was smiling and calmly walking out of the building and towards the courts. Already, a large group of students waited by the courts to see the fight. They had left open a large circle for them to fight in. Mel gave her book bag to Aileen, her best friend. Aileen was very afraid for her.

She walked into the circle and the fight begun immediately. Crazy took the boxer's pose her uncle had taught her and skipped around Mel, who was in a boxer's position also, but standing still. Crazy swung so hard that if she'd touched Mel, it would have probably sent her to the ground. But Mel ducked, instantly catching her hard on her left ribs.

Crazy let out a long painful breath and grimaced, grabbing her ribs for a second or two. Everyone cheered; they'd never seen anyone get Crazy like that. Suddenly, the bigger girl swung again, catching Mel hard on her jaw. Mel staggered, the blow slightly dizzying her. Crazy swung again, hitting her on her right eye; the eye instantly swelled. Mel's knees weakened. Everyone still cheered for Mel.

Crazy lifted her hands in a victory gesture. Mel shook her head and focused on her mouth. Her powerful fist was too quick to avoid; she got Crazy on the side of the mouth, instantly breaking out some of her back teeth. Crazy spit them out along with some blood. She looked at Mel with anger, lunging at her. Mel swung again, getting her in the stomach and knocking the breath out of her.

Crazy had met her match.

At this realization, Crazy's anger swelled. She quickly swung and hit Mel in the stomach also. Her left hand followed, getting her in the face again, stunning her. The crowd was still thunderous for Mel. She doubled over and Crazy got her on the back with an elbow, sending her to the floor on her hands and knees. Crazy kicked at Mel's torso, but Mel jumped away and the foot only scraped her.

Mel jumped to her feet and was quickly ready for Crazy again. Everyone roared. Crazy skipped to her and Mel swung at her unguarded mouth again, knocking some more teeth off. The blood splattered Crazy's chin and clothes; some of it had even gotten on Mel too. Then they lunged towards each other, their bodies clashed. They were pressing against one another; their strong fists landed everywhere on each other's bodies. Their pain would have been unbearable to anyone else, but these two young girls were like bulls at a rodeo.

This would be the most talked about fight in the history of Junior High School 210. Everyone roared as Mel and Crazy pounded upon each other, never moving from the center of the circle. No security guards or teachers were allowed into the circle by the multitude of students. Cami, who always picked Mel up at three thirty in the afternoon, saw the big crowd and heard the punches and cheers. She approached one of the students. "Listen," She said to the kid, grabbing her shoulder. "Who's fighting?" She asked, looking around for Mel.

The young girl was too excited, but she managed to answer: "Mel!" She was gasping, trying to see over people's heads. "And Crazy J!"

Cami's eyes widened. She tried to push into the crowd, but it was completely closed. "Shit!" She exclaimed. She looked around, the crowd of kids roared again as the sound of more fists landing filled the air. There were high fences all around the yard. Cami ran to her left and begun to climb them. When she was high enough, she looked into the circle. Mel was swollen and bleeding, so was Crazy. But both girls were too angry to even feel the pain.

"Mel!" She screamed, but Mel didn't hear her. She caught sight of the tearful green eyes of Aileen, who was crying hysterically. Cami began to move along the fence, closer to the circle. When she was close enough, she jumped. Everyone's eyes were riveted on the flying figure. In order not to break bones, Cami rolled upon landing.

Mel and Crazy hadn't been distracted; they were still pounding upon each other when Cami pried them apart. Her black hair was wild and so were her brown eyes. Crazy tried to hit Cami, but she was quick and grabbed her fist, twisting her arm behind her.

Mel was angry. "What are you doing?" She exclaimed. The blood spilled from her mouth.

Cami frowned, twisting Crazy's arm tighter when she tried to kick at her. "Look at you!" She exclaimed, gesturing with her free hand. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Mel glared at her with her arms crossed for a long time. "Let's go home, Cami." She finally said.

Cami nodded and looked at Crazy, who was demanding that she let go of her. "Are you going to relax?" She asked into Crazy's ear.

Crazy cursed at her and tried to pull away. "You bitch!" She yelled. "Let me go or I'll have my uncle kill you! Let me go!"

Cami tightened her grip, Crazy yelped in pain. "Don't think I'm letting you go because I'm scared of your uncle. 'Cause I'm not!" She whispered into her ear, then she let her go. She glared at Mel, grabbed her arm and jerked her away. "Come on." She muttered, pushing through the crowd.

"Ouch!" Mel cried out when Cami wiped the cut under her eye with peroxide.

"Mel," Cami said, ignoring her pain. "What happened?"

Mel winced. "Crazy kept bullying people. She finally came to me and I taught her a few lessons." She replied without emotion. Then she laughed, saying: "You saw how I left her?"

That was the first time Cami had seen Mel fight and she was awesome. She thought Mel would make an excellent boxer. "But look at you!" She said. "You're not supposed to be fighting, and if you do, don't let them get you like that!" She put a Band-Aid on the cut. She couldn't do anything about the swollen eye, it was right above the cut. She marveled at Mel's strong jaw, she wasn't even complaining about it.

Mel frowned. "How am I supposed to do that?" She growled. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. "Why don't you teach me?" She asked excitedly; what she meant was for Cami to teach her to box. The thought had suddenly come into her mind.

Cami vehemently said no, but after they had gone to bed, she was running the thought through her mind. Why not? She wondered.

MEL

That was four years ago. Mel was now in Newtown High School, in the beginnings of the twelfth grade. As always, her grades were excellent. The teachers there were also very fond of her. She had grown quite a lot in the last four years. She was now five feet eight inches, her built was more muscled and healthy. Her hair was now, as she always wanted, cut right above her ears, the sides closely cropped, allowing her pointy ears to be more visible. Her face was still gorgeous and charming.

She had very busy days. She would wake up at four thirty in the morning, to go out for long jogs around Forest Park. She lived on Woodhaven Boulevard and Jamaica Avenue, above the photo shop in which Aileen, still her best friend, worked.

Everyday, Mel would go for an hour-long jog. She would return home, eat the healthy breakfast, designed and prepared by Cami, shower and leave at six thirty to meet with Aileen at the bus stop. The Q-eleven was a slow bus. Mel was lucky she lived across the street from the bus stop.

Aileen would always be at the stop at six thirty on the dot, waiting for Mel. Mel went to school from seven thirty to one forty five. She would wait for Aileen to come out at two thirty and they would leave together to the bus station. The walk down Ninetieth Street from the school to the Queens Boulevard Q-eleven stop was about ten minutes long.

Of course, they would take the bus back down to Jamaica Avenue. Aileen would go into work and Mel would go into her apartment right upstairs, where Cami would be waiting for her, and a cooked meal ready. Then Cami would drive with Mel to the gym, where she would train for long hours after finishing her homework. Mel was excellent in the ring, having been taught how to shield weak body parts, also how to skip around the opponent to confuse her. In the last four years she had become even more agile and aggressive.

Cami, with the help of her fellow trainer, Jose, would train Mel for hours. Mel would take it all in quickly like a recorder and she would perform in excellence. She was hungrily awaiting her first fight. But Cami, in her protectiveness, would tell her she was not completely ready; which was a lie. Mel knew this, but she was patient.

Her first period class was English, in which she would sit next to Terry Collins. Terry had a crush on Mel, like many of the other girls in the school. They were attracted to the charm that Mel possessed; not leaving out her aggressively beautiful face, the hard toned biceps, abdominal muscles, and other excellently toned parts of her body. Mel would sometimes take all of this with tranquillity.

The only person Mel had a problem with was Terry, who in her obsessive crush was more aggressive than any of the other girls, whose crushes were nothing more than innocent; they mostly stood in the halls or sat in class staring at Mel with dreamy eyes. Terry would practically push herself upon Mel; for example, in this class that they shared. Terry had secretly insisted to the teacher to let her sit next to Mel. They shared a desk and Terry would either sit too close to Mel or touch her too much.

Mel, despite her charms and amiability, would often snap at Terry and try to push her away. It wasn't that Terry was unattractive, she was the opposite. With long curly auburn hair that framed her pretty oval face, her green eyes were cat-like. She would often, in one of her flirtatious moments, purse her luscious lips at the often-annoyed Mel. She could not get her off her back.

Aileen would often get into arguments with Terry, demanding that she would leave Mel alone. Terry would get angry and would often try to strike out at Aileen, but Mel would get extremely angry and stop her. Often, Terry would get reprimanded for harassing Mel, to no avail.

The day Mel met Nicole Sanders was the day her life changed. Nicole was transferred to Newtown High School from Forest Hills High School. She was a junior who always excelled in her classes, giving her the advantage of having senior classes. One of these classes happened to be the math class that Mel was in: Sequential Math Six.

Aileen was in that class also; she would sit in front of Mel and they would often pass each other notes behind the teacher's back. This was one of Mel's greatest classes. Mel wanted to be an architect also, so she would need the great mathematical skills that she possessed. She had planned to go to college right after high school.

When Nicole had walked into the classroom, everyone was doing some exercises from the board. At the sound of the door opening, everyone looked up from his or her notebooks. Their eyes were riveted to the beautiful young girl in front of them. Her small eyes were bright gray. She was petite, no taller than five feet three inches, with small hands and feet. Her luscious lightly lip-sticked lips were moving slowly as she softly interacted with Mrs. Thomas, the teacher. She wore a white tennis skirt, which revealed her nicely shaped thighs and legs. Her grayish top was not as revealing but was sexy all the same. Her black hair was wavy and long.

The teacher took her program from her hands and made sure she was in the right class. Mel, whose eyes were all over the girl's body, prayed to God that the teacher loved her a whole lot. There were only two empty seats in the class of thirty-six. One was next to Mel, the other was next to the grotesque John Durang.

Mrs. Thomas proved to love Mel a whole lot, indicating the seat next to her. Aileen turned and looked at Mel, who smiled triumphantly and shrugged. She knew that Mel was a lesbian, so did everyone. Nicole walked down the aisle, looking directly into Mel's eyes. She put her bookbag on the desk and sat on the chair. "Hi." She said, her voice was light but sensual.

"Hi," Mel, who was usually so self-assured, croaked. Aileen was still staring at Mel, smiling mockingly. Mel glared at her and turned to give her hand to Nicole. "I'm Melissa, better known as Mel."

Nicole took her hand, once again looking deeply into her eyes. "And I'm Nicole. Nicole Sanders." She said.

Aileen jumped in, extending her hand to Nicole also. "I'm Aileen, Mel's best friend." She said, her eyes laughingly meeting Mel's glare.

Nicole smiled and shook her hand also, introducing herself again. She looked at Mel, studying her. Aileen smiled; Mel had flushed violently when Nicole's eyes returned to her.

The teacher looked up from her notes and stood. "Okay," She said slowly. "What is the answer to the first problem?" Aileen, Mel, and Nicole turned to look at the teacher; they didn't speak for the rest of the class.

Mel shared her lunch period with Aileen. Their lunch period was usually boring and annoying. The large lunchroom held more than three hundred noisy students. Seemingly half of the girls in there wanted to get the attention of Mel, who was becoming more annoyed as the minutes passed. Aileen would brush them off for Mel, for she feared her best friend would loose her patience with the poor enamored girls.

Ten minutes into the period, Nicole walked in. Mel noticed the eyes of many of the guys on the beauty who had just walked in. Nicole looked around the lunchroom and spotted Mel and Aileen. She smiled and walked towards them. "Do you mind if I sit with you two?" She asked.

Mel took a deep breath and nodded. "Sure," She watched with fascination as Nicole sat across from her.

Nicole once again looked into Mel's eyes. "Tell me," She said. "Something about your life."

Mel looked down at her shaking hands. This girl was so intimidatingly beautiful, it was hard to look at her. "Well, I box." She said. She looked up into Nicole's eyes and saw that she was expecting more than that. "My parents died when I was twelve, and their best friend took over my raising."

Nicole's eyes softened. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

"It's okay," Mel reassured her. She looked at Aileen, who was looking down at her math book.

Nicole nodded and smiled. "So, what is this that you box?" She asked.

Mel looked down at her hands again. "Well," She began. "Cami, she's the one who raised me, she is a trainer at a boxing gym. She's been training me to be a fighter for the last three or four years." She looked back up at Nicole, who seemed to be very interested.

Nicole smiled with enthusiasm. "I would like to see you train one day." She said.

Mel smiled back at her. "Any time you want." She looked at Aileen, who was smiling broadly, her white teeth flashing. "Why don't you tell me about yourself, now?" Mel suggested.

"My dad's name is Nicolas Sanders," She said.

"You mean Nicolas Sanders, the owner of Sanders Car Dealership?" Aileen interrupted, her eyes flashed with excitement. "You must be filthy rich!"

Nicole laughed a rich and beautiful laugh.

"Aileen!" Mel gasped. "That's rude!"

Nicole put her hand on Mel's arm, squeezing gently. "It's okay, I like rudeness. It's very fun."

Mel looked at Nicole's hand on her arm and tried not to shiver. She nodded and smiled again.

Nicole smiled back and said to Aileen: "A few millions, maybe. He has the car dealerships, among other things."

Aileen's green eyes widened and she leaned forward in conspirational manner. "You have your own car?" She asked.

Nicole laughed again and shook her head. "I still haven't learned how to drive. Shameful, isn't it?" She replied. She turned to Mel. "So, when can I see you train?" She asked.

Mel took a deep swallow and croaked: "Today, if you like. I could drive you home in Cami's car."

Nicole nodded, saying: "This should be fun."

Rumors about Nicole and Mel had already started at Newtown. It had been over a month since Nicole had started going to Newtown. She had grown closer to Mel and Aileen and would, almost every day, go see Mel train. Cami had grown accustomed to having Nicole's company. And even though she hadn't had the chance to meet Nicolas Sanders yet, they had spoken on the phone and had come to trusts. Every night, Mel would take Nicole home at ten thirty.

The two girls had grown to like each other more and more. They wouldn't admit it to each other though, each choosing Aileen as her confidante. Aileen was happy to be there for them, but she would insist upon each letting the other know about their feelings. Both girls refused, they were shy and scared.

People would see how the two young women would look at each other, and from there, they would start the gossip. A lot of this gossip would reach the increasingly angry Terry. She would often try to reach Nicole, but by the time she would get to where she was, Nicole would be gone. Terry's aggressiveness grew even more now when she was in English class with Mel. Often, they would end up fighting; Mel, having lost her patience would often yell and nearly hit her. The teacher and some students would have to end up pulling Mel away from Terry, afraid that Mel wouldn't know her own strength.

Every day after math class, Mel would walk Nicole to her next class. They would take advantage of every little break to be in each other's company. They continually refused to acknowledge their increasing attraction towards each other. At night they would think about each other incessantly, sometimes one calling the other, talking about anything just to hear each other's voices.

It was a long time before Terry found Nicole, after school. Mel was with her, fortunately. Terry had brought her four friends with her. Friends that were afraid of Mel, and that hoped she wouldn't be there. Terry walked up to Nicole, who was standing by the corner store, not knowing that Mel was inside the store. "Are you Nicole Sanders?" She asked, her eyes were afire.

Nicole, innocent to Terry's anger, didn't deny it. "Yes, I'm Nicole." She said, looking at the other girls, who were looking at her with venom. "What's going on?" She asked, her voice relaxed and friendly.

Taken aback by the girl's apparent calmness, the four girls glanced at each other. Terry still stared at her with hate. "You better keep away from Mel. Understood?" She snarled.

Nicole stared back at Terry with curiosity. This girl was aggressively gorgeous, she could get anyone she wanted, but she insisted upon having Mel. Mel had told her about Terry the day they'd almost had the fight. "You must be Terry." She said.

Terry frowned. Mel had probably told Nicole about her, maybe that's why she wasn't afraid. She would give her something to be afraid about, then. She clenched her hand into a tight fist and was about to strike when Mel grabbed her by the wrist. Her hazel eyes were ablaze with anger, seeming yellowish. She pushed Terry away. "What are you doing?" She almost growled.

Terry's best friend, Camille, put a hand on Terry's shoulder and said shakily: "Terry, let's go." She glanced at Mel apprehensively.

Terry shook her hand off and frowned. "I was just getting to know your friend, Mel." She said, smiling sweetly at Mel and softening her voice. "There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"

Mel stepped forward menacingly, her eyes revealed her fury, but Nicole grabbed her arm. Mel still glared at Terry with hot fury. "Stay away from her, Terry. I'm warning you." She said, allowing Nicole to pull her away.

Nicole pulled Mel further down the block, from time to time tightening her grip when it seemed Mel would pull away from her and run back towards Terry. They stopped in front of the other store, and remained quiet for a few seconds. Nicole looked up at Mel and smiled, putting her small hand on her face. She caressed it softly and marveled at the smoothness of Mel's skin. "That was not necessary." She said softly.

Mel looked at her with tenderness. "She was going to hurt you." She whispered.

Nicole chuckled. "I'm a black belt in Ju Jitsu."

Mel didn't smile. "There were still five of them." She retorted.

"True." Nicole conceded. She stood staring into Mel's eyes. Mel stared right back into hers and moved closer. She leaned forward and kissed Nicole softly on the lips, taking a deep, audible breath. Nicole sighed against her and pressed her body closer; she opened her mouth to allow Mel to slip her soft tongue into her mouth. Slowly, Mel wrapped her arms around Nicole's waist as their tongues met softly. Nicole caressed Mel's strong arms and pulled herself closer to her. Suddenly, Mel pulled back, gasping and letting go of Nicole. Nicole's breath was fast and shallow. She was shocked at Mel, for having pulled away so abruptly. Mel couldn't look into her eyes; she looked down at her feet, shoving her hands deeply into her pockets. "I'm sorry." She gasped.

Nicole smiled shakily. "Why are you sorry?" She asked breathlessly, still feeling the wonderful kiss on her lips.

Mel looked up at her and smiled shyly. "I don't know." She admitted. She knew that Nicole liked the kiss as much as she did. She felt it when Nicole caressed her arms and squeezed them as their tongues touched, heard it when Nicole's breath caught in her throat. When she felt Nicole's lips, she felt her anger dissipate and her body catch fire. The warm spot between her legs had twitched violently and her body shivered.

Nicole wanted to kiss Mel again, it was hard to believe a girl so strong could kiss with such tenderness. She had loved the way Mel's hard body had felt against hers. Sighing, she moved closer to Mel. "Kiss me again." She whispered.

Mel complied, grabbing Nicole and kissing her more passionately this time. Nicole wrapped her arms tightly around Mel's neck and pulled her tighter to herself. They kissed breathlessly, nothing in their minds but the pleasure of feeling each other's warm lips. They didn't care that they were in the street, that everyone was watching them, or that Terry was down the block staring them with pure hatred in her eyes.

"Why can't I stay at your place one weekend?" Nicole asked Mel, who stared at her in shock. "What, do you think I wouldn't want to stay at your place?"

Mel shook her head. "I've wanted to ask you to for weeks." She said. She lifted the bottle of Coca-Cola to her lips. They were sitting at the Queens Center Mall Food Center. Aileen was in the bathroom; having taken too many liquids had taken its toll. "When do you want to go to my house?"

Nicole smiled, picking up a French-fry and playing with it. "Whenever you want." She answered.

Mel smiled at her, staring into her eyes. She looked away as Aileen returned to the table. "We'll talk about it later." She whispered, the dimples on her cheeks deepening.

Aileen sat down, sighing. "So, is there any training today?" She asked Mel, glancing at her watch.

"No," Mel answered. "There's some repairs needing to be done at the gym."

Nicole frowned. "When is Cami going to allow you to fight?" She asked.

Mel shrugged, she wondered herself when that would be. "I don't know." She said out loud. She would have to ask her.

Aileen groaned as she looked up and saw Terry come into the Food Center. Mel and Nicole followed her hateful gaze. Terry was once again with her four friends, Camille, Andrea, Johanna and Rosa. Initially, she didn't see Mel, then suddenly, she met her eyes and smiled. "Shit!" Mel muttered. She was still very angry about the incident that happened a few days before, when Terry attempted to intimidate Nicole.

Nicole took it all lightly and didn't pay any mind to Terry's antics. Plus her mind kept going back to that wonderful moment when she and Mel had kissed. That had been the only kiss they had shared and Nicole wanted so much more. She knew that Mel wanted more too; she would see it when Mel would stare at her with pure desire in her eyes, and she would feel weak and wanton.

Terry walked up to them and smiled sweetly at Mel. "Hi, Mel." She said, touching her cheek softly with her fingernail. Mel almost cringed. Terry looked at Aileen and glared at her. There had been many times when they both had gotten into big fights, almost physical. The two girls were known for their hate of each other. Terry would love to give Aileen a few poundings, but either Aileen was in school or she was outside with Mel.

Her eyes went to Nicole, who was looking down at her soda, smiling. Nicole looked up at Terry and smiled amiably. "How are you?" She said, being polite.

Terry didn't answer her. Instead, she looked back at Mel and smiled, saying sweetly: "I'll see you later." She walked away and her friends followed.

"A pack of hyenas." Aileen muttered. She looked at Mel. "She's crazy, Mel. I think we should watch out."

Mel nodded, glancing at Nicole. "I know."

Cami was sitting on her couch, talking with Jose, who had come to visit her at home. "Cami," He was saying. "I think Mel is ready to fight." His deep brown eyes said the same. He and Cami had been partners in training numerous female and male boxers, and they were also good friends. Jose was one of those guys who made people care about them, who meant it when he said he cared about you. He cared enough about Mel to know that she was ready for the ring, cared about her well enough to see the fire in her eyes when she was training.

The wish to really be fighting.

Cami frowned, knowing well that Jose's intuitions were always right. Still, she argued with him, not wanting to admit to him that he was right. For months, they'd been arguing the same point, Cami not acknowledging his opinions, at times ending up arguing heatedly with him. This time, she was almost ready to assent. "I'm afraid she's going to get hurt." She still argued without feeling.

Jose sighed with impatience, though he knew that she was about to break. She's so stubborn! He thought. His brown eyes probed into Cami's; he ran his fingers over his curly brown hair in evident frustration. "I think she could honestly be one of the best fighters in the circle once she starts, Carmen." He only used her real name when he was impatient with her. "She's great and you have to admit it!"

Cami nodded and smiled dreadfully. "I'm just taking care of her." She whispered.

Jose sat back in his seat. "Yes," He conceded. "I know you are. But you have to realize that soon, she'll just start thinking for herself and go on with it. She'll be eighteen in a month. You are her trainer and her coach, she's being patient, but you can see the wild look in her eyes when she trains. She wants to fight a real fighter. That's her dream." He pleaded, his hands in front of him almost in a praying stance.

Cami looked down, she understood him well. "I have to think about it." She whispered. She started when she heard the sound of a key entering the lock.

Mel was home.

She walked into the suddenly quiet apartment. Aileen and Nicole followed her in. They all exchanged hellos with each other. The young girls sat down. Mel stared at Cami for a long time, as if measuring her words. Then she spoke: "Cami, I love you and respect you and trust y ou." Her voice said the truth.

"But-" Cami said, knowing what was coming next.

Mel sighed. "I want to know when I'm going to start fighting." She said softly. Everyone else stood quiet with respect. "You know that's my dream," She paused. "To fight."

Cami sighed in understanding. "I will start doing some paperwork and some calls." She explained.

Mel smiled, that was too easy. "Thank you." She said quietly. She stood and moved to Cami, kneeling in front of her. "I love you, Cami." She whispered.

Cami chuckled, pulling Mel into an embrace. "I love you, too." She said.

Two weeks later, Mel asked finally Nicole if she wanted to sleep over that weekend. It had taken her all that time to summon her courage to ask her. Nicole said yes and she asked her father, who readily said yes also. That Friday night, Mel and Nicole were sitting in front of the TV, watching When Night Is Falling. Nicole was wearing a pajama suit; cotton shorts with a tang-top shirt. Mel wore her boxer shorts with a T-shirt that expressed gay pride. The movie was very romantic and it contained some beautiful love scenes between two women, this brought the mood into Nicole and Mel.

Cami emerged from her bedroom dressed in a beautifully ruffled white blouse over wide-legged black slacks. Her cologne smelled rich and sweet; Mel guessed it was Escape for men, it was said to smell better than the one for women. Her black hair was wavy and loose around her shoulders. She was clasping a gold necklace on. Mel and Nicole shared a smile. "Cami! You look gorgeous!" Mel exclaimed. "Where are you going?" She asked.

Cami looked at her with a smile on her face. "To a club, with the other guys." When she said `guys', she meant her fellow trainers. She walked around the living room, first retrieving her car keys from the table, then smiling as she headed out the door. "Behave." She warned.

Nicole looked at Mel, laughing. "Is Cami gay?" She asked, as always, never keeping her thoughts hidden.

Mel looked at her and smiled. "Yes." Was all she said. Her hazel eyes shone in the dimness of the living room. She studied Nicole, marveling at her beauty. She suddenly wanted to kiss her; they hadn't kissed again since that first time. "Nicole," She whispered. When Nicole turned her head to look at her, she kissed her softly on the lips.

Nicole was surprised, but she soon recovered, slipping her soft tongue into Mel's mouth. Their tongues met and they each let out a sigh. Nicole slipped her arm around Mel's shoulders and she pulled her close. Mel went willingly, her kiss became harder and more passionate. Suddenly, she pulled away. Nicole looked at her with desire. "Why do you pull away?" She whispered.

Mel took an empty swallow and shivered. "I don't know." She replied, her voice was hoarse.

Nicole pulled her to herself again and kissed her. She pushed herself back and pulled Mel on top of her, moaning at the feeling of the strong, slim body on top of her. Mel's breathing became erratic. Nicole arched against Mel's body, feeling a wave of pleasure when Mel arched against her. Mel's lips on hers were wet and warm. They sent a ripple of sensation throughout Nicole's body. Her hands roamed free on Mel's muscled back and hard buttocks, which she squeezed softly.

Mel felt Nicole's hands on her buttocks and moaned, kissing her deeper. The spot between her legs was pulsating violently. She gasped as Nicole lifted her legs and wrapped them tightly around her waist. They were on the couch, but they were so involved, that they couldn't bring themselves to stop and go anywhere else. Mel began to move her hips in a circular motion, moaning as she felt a deep spasm from somewhere within herself.

Nicole moaned, shivering as she felt Mel move her hips against her. She began moving against her and soon, both girls were moaning fervently as they each neared orgasm. Mel pulled her lips away from Nicole's to kiss her throat, letting her tongue caress it softly. Nicole shivered, Mel's lips were an ignition to her desire. She moaned again and again as she felt herself begin to quiver inside, as she felt her orgasm come from deep within herself.

Mel was coming with her, shuddering and moaning with an intensity that left her spent. She allowed her weight to rest upon Nicole, who was breathing heavily against her ear. Mel felt Nicole's hands run through her hair, on her back. She felt her lips behind her ear, kissing softly around her neck. Nicole pushed her off and Mel sat on the couch, staring at her through eyes full of desire.

Nicole had nothing in her mind, except feeling Mel under her touch. She moved forward, getting down on the floor on her knees, in between Mel's spread legs. Mel looked down at her, her breathing was increasingly erratic. Nicole let her shivering hands caress Mel's thighs softly, marveling at their tautness. Her fingers went higher, under Mel's boxers. Mel sighed and then held her breath. Nicole moved forward, kissing Mel's lips slowly. Moving down, she lifted Mel's shirt up and over her head, and then off.

Her mouth watered at the sight of Mel's full and firm breasts. She kissed them, allowing her tongue to feel their softness. Mel arched toward her, gasping and then moaning. "Oh, God!" She breathed. Nicole grazed a nipple with her tongue and Mel moaned again. She was shivering now. This was the first time she had ever gone that far with another woman and she was loving it. She moaned again when Nicole took one of her erect nipples into her mouth.

Slowly, Nicole moved lower, kissing and licking Mel's taut stomach. Her fingers moved slowly down Mel's sides and she began to pull down Mel's boxers. As more skin was revealed, Nicole found herself breathing harder and harder, growing hotter and wetter. Mel was so beautiful! The skin so flawless, so soft, so taut. Their eyes met as Nicole pulled her boxers off. She looked down between Mel's legs and took a deep breath as she saw the moistness there. She could smell Mel's sweet scent and she wanted to taste it. Closing her eyes, she kissed around Mel's center of desire.

Mel gasped and then moaned; she was caressing Nicole's back, running her fingers through her hair, murmuring sweet things, begging her to hurry and touch her with her tongue… Nicole was sucking her between her lips, making faint suckling noises as she moved her lips softly. And when she let her go and flickered her tongue over her, Mel cried out, not believing the softness and the warmth that Nicole's tongue possessed. She moved her hips in an erratic rhythm that Nicole matched with her tongue. Her breath was ragged, her moans became deep groans, her thighs quivered, and her hands held the cushions in a death grip. And when she came, continuously, Nicole took all of her juices into her mouth, moaning with the rapture she felt tasting Mel's sweet muskiness.

Mel sighed softly as Nicole moved up to kiss her lips; she tasted herself. Her pleasurable lethargy instantly turned into arousal. She asked Nicole to stand and she stood herself; her legs were still quivering from the incredible ecstasy Nicole had given to her. She pulled Nicole towards her bedroom and there, she pulled Nicole's shirt off and pulled down her shorts. Mel pushed her onto the bed and lay on top of her. Slowly, she kissed Nicole. And then she moved down, kissing, licking, and sucking on Nicole's already erect nipples. Nicole was moaning with uncontrollable desire.

It seemed Mel took hours enjoying the feel of Nicole's small yet full breasts in her mouth. Nicole was so ready for what was to come. She gasped when Mel moved lower to kiss her soft stomach. Mel was by now addicted to Nicole's whole body, she pulled herself up and moved down some more, lifting Nicole's leg and kissing it slowly, softly, reverently. Her lips moved up the shapely leg, her tongue leaving wet spots. Nicole was already dripping onto the bed, moaning. Mel did the same to the other leg; then, laying between them, she didn't hesitate to lick her wetness, burying her tongue deeply into her.

It was amazing how Mel loved the sweet taste in her mouth. She reached into the depths of Nicole's desire, entering her and feeling the wet warmth around her tongue. Suddenly, she entered her with her fingers, not stopping her pleasing with her tongue; the sudden warm feeling of wetness around her fingers left her gasping. Almost instantly, Nicole orgasmed into her mouth, crying out loud, moaning, shivering, gasping with ecstasy.

When Mel moved up to her side, Nicole wrapped her arms tightly around her and pulled her tightly to herself. Mel also wrapped her arms around her. They lay nestling each other. They were still breathing heavily, kissing softly and slowly. Not long after, they fell asleep, content in each other's arms.

The phone rang, jarring Mel from the sweet lassitude of sleep; she reached out and grabbed the phone on her bedside table. It was Cami, who wanted to know how both girls were doing. Mel, who was groggy, instantly woke up. She looked at the clock, it was three thirty in the morning. Nicole had woken up also and she was looking into Mel's eyes, a laugh in her own. "We were sleeping." She said, listening to the loud noises at the other end of the line.

Cami, ever the psychic, asked: "Mel, have you been behaving? What have you been doing?" She was at a bar in Queens Boulevard, a bar called Breadsticks; gay men hung out there, and some of her fellow trainers were gay. It was a full house tonight and the noise level was high, she had to cover her ear to be able to hear Mel speak.

Mel didn't know what to say, she looked at Nicole. "Uh," She stammered.

"Mel!" Cami muttered; she knew she couldn't stop Mel from fulfilling her desires, and that Mel was almost a full grown woman and that certain desires would awaken in her. She also knew that Mel and Nicole were incredibly attracted to each other; but she never thought they would consummate their attraction so soon. She thought they'd be shyer. "What can I say to you?" She finally asked, sighing.

Mel searched for words, feeling at a loss. "I don't know." She finally said.

Cami sighed. "I should be getting home in an hour or so." She said. "We need to talk; the three of us."

"Okay." Mel said. Then they hung up. Nicole was looking at her with curiosity and slight fear. "Cami wants to talk to us." She explained. "She guessed we did something."

Nicole grimaced, sitting up on the bed. "OOPS!" She muttered. "I guess I probably wont be allowed to sleep over here anymore."

Mel sat up also and pulled her into her arms. "Cami is very reasonable." She whispered, not finding any other words to soothe Nicole. A sudden wave of desire hit her and she couldn't help it when she kissed Nicole on the lips. Nicole responded with equal heat, pulling her back down onto the bed.

Cami entered the dim apartment, finding Nicole and Mel sitting on the couch, fully clothed with their pajamas. They were holding hands and were speaking quietly. The window was completely opened, though there was air-conditioner, and Cami suspected why. The fear in their eyes when they saw her come in made her want to laugh out loud, but she didn't, the credibility of her supposed anger would be at stake.

She slowly sat down on the chair by the window, measuring her next words as she crossed her legs. She stared at Nicole and Mel intently, in that intimidating way of hers. Nicole blushed and shifted uncomfortably, while Mel's hands shook and she looked down at her lap. "Cami," Mel said, taking a deep breath and looking up to meet her eyes. Cami could see her throat convulse with every empty swallow, she almost giggled. "I-"

"Let me speak, Mel." Cami said, a command. Nicole's eyes widened when Cami spoke sternly at Mel.

"I know what you're going to say, Chi." Mel said shakily.

Cami's eyebrows arched, her head cocked to the side. "Really?" She retorted, a trace of sarcasm in her voice. She glanced at Nicole, who seemed a little rough around the edges; her face was pale and her eyes darted nervously around the room, as if searching for a means of escape. Again, Cami fought the urge to laugh. Her eyes returned to Mel, whose eyes were worriedly on Nicole. "Mel," She said, Mel's eyes returned to her. "What do you think I have to say to you?" She asked her slowly, her voice expressionless.

Mel's mouth moved without forthcoming sound for a few seconds. "Well," She finally croaked. "That we've disrespected you and your house. That we're too young to be doing this kind of thing. That we've broken your trust!" With every sentence, Mel looked more and more upset. Cami's hysterical laughter stopped Mel on her tracks. She stared at Cami in confusion and fear, thinking that Cami had probably lost it.

"I'm going to let you in on a little secret, girls." Cami, wiping the tears from her eyes, gasped. Mel and Nicole watched fearfully, waiting for her to continue. "My first time with a woman was when I was fourteen. I'm not exactly in the greatest position to reproach you."

"How old was she?" Nicole asked, instantly becoming interested. Mel was as interested to know as she was. Though part of the reason for their interest was to get Cami to forget their being together.

Cami smiled, letting them know with that smile that she didn't forget. "She was eighteen. I really liked her very much," Her eyes took a nostalgic tone. "She was gorgeous, everything I could ever want in a woman. She was my first and only love." Her eyes looked pained, her voice was sad; her sight was focused on something far away from them.

"Cami," Mel said, and Cami's eyes returned to her. "What ever happened to her?" She asked softly.

"She left me. Disappeared one day without a trace, and never came back." Cami answered quietly, her eyes looked angry, her face hard.

"What was she like, Cami?" Nicole asked.

Cami's anger faded suddenly and her face softened, her thin eyebrows arching gently with the softness of her obviously still strong love for this woman. "She was beautiful, Nicole. Her hair was black, blacker than yours. And her eyes were so blue, like the sky. Her skin was so pale, it could look so creamy and milky; it flushed so easily when we made love...." Her eyes watered, her heart ached incredibly with the emotion so long suppressed.

Mel's heart ached for Cami, and she wondered why Cami never spoke to her about this. Mel never kept her deepest feelings away from her. She felt hurt and left out at this deliberate shutting out.

"I know I never talked to you about this, Mel." Cami said shakily, as if reading her feelings completely. "It hurts me too much. That's why I wouldn't stop you two from doing these things together. It's a wonderful feeling to give your body and spirit to someone else, and to know that the other person is doing the same with you. Right?" Both girls nodded, feeling a rush of emotion, knowing exactly what she meant. Cami remained quiet, watching the two young women closely, smiling softly. "You two have my blessing." She whispered.

Nicole looked at Mel, who smiled gently and took her hand. She turned her eyes to Cami, voicing a thought that nagged at the back of her brain. "Cami, I don't mean to hurt you more; but what if something happened to her?" She asked meekly.

Cami smiled sadly. "Nothing happened to her," She replied. "Plenty of people that knew us both have told me she's doing fine and dandy." She was bitter.

"You've never seen her again?" Mel asked gently.

Cami shook her head slowly. "Never." She said. She stood suddenly, looking down at both girls with a smile. How quickly her attitude changes! Nicole thought. Cami said with humor: "Go to bed, you've worked yourselves up over nothing." And With that, she walked away from them, running a hand through her hair, down the hall and into her bedroom.

Mel and Nicole stared after her. They looked at each other and burst out laughing with relief. Nicole fell back onto Mel, resting her head on her chest. After a while, they quieted down. Nicole's gray eyes looked black in the dim living room as she looked up into Mel's hazel eyes, which seemed brown. "It's amazing how many different emotions can be seen through Cami's face when she thinks about that woman." She thought for a while. "She's had girlfriends, right?" She asked.

Mel laughed loudly. "Of course," She gasped. "Look at her, she's gorgeous! She has to keep the women off her like flies."

"Just like you, right?" Nicole asked, a frown of jealousy wrinkling the little piece of flesh between her eyebrows.

Mel tried not to laugh, she knew Nicole was serious; but she looked so adorable jealous. She bit her lower lip to keep her lips from forming a full smile. "Yes." She said after faking consideration. The truth was that she only wanted Nicole. "The only woman I want on me is you." She whispered truthfully, never moving her eyes from Nicole's.

Nicole smiled widely, her beautiful face lighting up in Mel's eyes. She moved her head up to kiss Mel softly. "Race you to the bedroom!" She said suddenly and jumped to her feet, running towards Mel's room. Mel laughed and jumped to her feet, running after her and grabbing her by the waist from behind. She pressed her hips against her backside, gasping softly. Nicole gasped also, covering Mel's arms with her own. Mel pulled her up from her feet, very easily, and carried her to her bedroom, kicking the door shut after them.

"I want to fight, uncle!" Crazy J Luciano growled at her uncle, slamming her fist down onto his desk, making everything on it rattle. They were in Gago Luciano's large office. It was on the second floor of the gym building. He had framed pictures all over his walls, pictures he had taken with 'business' friends, with semi-famous boxers trained at his gym. Jackie slammed her fist on the desk again, infuriated. She was one monster of a girl, even larger than Gago, worst than before. Her full height was now five feet nine inches, her muscles bulging like an animal's, she'd been ready to fight for a long time.

"You will, Jacks." Gago Luciano soothed patiently. He had her on hold for a long time, even though he was sure she'd be his star fighter. The truth was that he'd heard rumors of the launching of Carmen Ramirez's daughter, of the signing of contracts to get her into the world of boxing; he was just waiting for that moment to send Jacks, as he called her, into the world also. Papers were already being drawn up, but this would be a surprise for his niece, who was the only one who loved him faithfully; the only one who thought like he did. He wanted to show Cypress Gym whom the best was, specially with this girl whom was said to be the best in all these years of integrated women's boxing.

Jackie bared her chipped front teeth at her uncle. "When?" She hissed fiercely. She'd been waiting for so long, she was nineteen years old and still hadn't fought her first real fight; except for street fights, which she always won. As the years had passed, she'd grown fiercer and fiercer, hurting more and more. But there was one fight she didn't win, one fight that stayed engraved in her memory... One fight she didn't loose either, but one she didn't completely win... She was so used to beating her street opponents down to a pulp, to cause a few contusions, even to kill... That's what she would do in the ring, destroy. "Uncle Gago," She said more reasonably, though the madness still remained in her eyes; it would always be in her eyes, a sick mind that could have received help long before now. "Can you please tell me when?" She ran a large impatient hand through her short black hair.

Gago smiled proudly at his niece. The truth was that he was as sick as she was, as demented, as obsessed about being the best. He'd bought out Lucky's Gymnasium when it was in the slums, when Cypress Gymnasium first opened. He brought it out of the garbage, training his criminal friends, managing to launch them into boxing. Lucky's Gym became respected, but was still not in the higher levels of Cypress Gym. And that was Gago's goal, for Lucky's Gym to surpass Cypress.

Jackie had gone to live with him when she was ten years old, had expressed a deep interest in the violent sport. As soon as Gago opened the gym, he'd hired good friends of his who were excellent trainers, and Jackie became a trainee. Now, she was surely to be one of the best fighters ever, if not the best. The fiercest and most demented one. "My darling, I sent the papers in for the contracts. We should be getting word soon. Be patient."

Jackie sat back on her chair and nodded with surprised satisfaction. She was a handsome girl, even with her front teeth. Attracted attention only from women only until they knew the magnitude of her dementia. "I want to fight." She whispered, smiling fiercely.

"You will honey. You will." He assured her softly, his smile growing. "And you'll be the best."

"Wait!" Nicole was gasping, brushing her hair away from her wet forehead. She was running, struggling to catch up, feeling the discomfort of her clothes sticking to her sweaty body. Mel was ahead of her, with Cami, both of them jumping lightly from one foot to another, remaining in one place and waiting for Nicole to catch up. She was so unused to jogging, but these two did it everyday. It was nothing to them, they each only had a bead or two of sweat running down their faces, and they weren't even breathing hard.

Nicole finally caught up to them, catching a glimpse of the smile on their faces. "It's not funny!" She gasped, struggling to catch her breath, collapsing against Mel, who held her up.

Mel was looking down at her, trying to hold back her smile. "Nobody's laughing, Nick." She said, trying to be reassuring, instead she sounded mocking.

Nicole tried to pull away from her, obviously angry, but Mel's arms tightened. She was so strong. Cami was laughing now, seeing the anger in Nicole's eyes. "Nicole, all you need is practice," She said, adjusting the zipper of her windbreaker jacket, pointedly not looking at her. "Once you jog a few hours every day, you'll be okay."

She most surely be making fun of me! Nicole thought. "I don't want to practice! I want to go home." She growled at them, pulling harder against Mel.

Mel looked at Cami, and both burst out laughing, to add to Nicole's anger, then said together: "Okay!"

Aileen had been smart and had chosen to stay at Mel and Cami's apartment, waiting for them to return. She was sitting in front of the television, her feet propped up on the coffee table, a bag of popcorn held between her legs. She was throwing a fistful of the salty grains into her mouth as they walked in. Nicole walked past Mel, not looking at her and flopping onto the couch next to Aileen. She dug her hand into the bag of grease and stuffed her fistful of popcorn into her mouth, challenging Mel and Cami with her eyes. Daring them silently to tell her to stop. Mel looked away and wisely remained quiet, Cami did the same.

Aileen laughed loudly, throwing her head back, her full mane of red-blonde curly hair bouncing. Nicole stared at her, wondering if Aileen had lost her mind. "They played the same trick on you, I see." She chuckled after a while.

Nicole frowned, giving Aileen a side-glance. "Trick?" Nicole repeated, her eyes going to Mel and Cami with suspicion.

Aileen threw her hand about airily. "Run ahead of you, leave you completely eating their dust, almost dying?" She replied, smiling.

"Aileen!" Nicole whined, her lower lip pouting. Mel thought that was adorable. "Why didn't you tell me they did that to people?" As a vengeance, she took another fistful of popcorn and shoved it into her mouth, allowing some to fall from her fist to her lap, her eyes never leaving them. Tempting them to dare tell her to stop. To her satisfaction, she could see the beginning of grimaces on their faces. "Humph!" She humphed with a mouthful.

Aileen laughed again and looked at Cami, deciding to change the subject and to go on safer ground. "I spoke to Carlos while you were gone," She announced. "He wants to join us for lunch, and finally meet Nicole. He says he'll pay for his own meal."

Cami waved away the last sentence with a shake of her head. "That's silly, tell him he can join us. My treat."

Nicole jumped to her feet, still mad, the grease on the popcorn had done nothing to dissipate her anger. Mel stood up also, Nicole's anger was turning her on. "I want to take a shower." Nicole said, starting to walk away.

"Would you share?" Mel asked sheepishly, the cells in her body doing somersaulting cheers at her question. "Lunch is in an hour, there could possibly be no time for each of us to take a shower separately."

Nicole stopped in mid stride, and slowly turned to look at her, her anger quickly dissipating and being replaced by a deep sense of eroticism. Her frown slowly turned into a sensuous smile. She couldn't possibly be mad at Mel for too long. "That's a great idea," She said slowly, looking at Cami and Aileen, who were both pointedly quiet, watching them with mischievous smiles. "We can't waste time you know." She continued in an explanatory manner. She turned and walked away, swinging her hips for Mel to follow.

Mel grinned, and followed her down the hall and into the bathroom, pushing the door closed after herself. "It's not for you to stay in there for two hours!" Cami called after them, smiling. At Aileen, she said: "Well, what are you waiting for? Call your boyfriend and tell him to meet us at Ben's Best on Queens Boulevard."

Aileen smiled, and sprung into action.

Continued in Part 2.